Fluid measuring apparatus



Sept. 19, 19339 T. W; sTQNE 31,327,51

FLUID MEASURING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 51, 1931.

11v VENTOR. 7/300705 41/15/290 ATT NE.

Patented Sept. 19, 1933 PATE FLUID MEASTUEHNG APPARATUS Thomas W. Stone, Fart Wayne, 11nd, assignor to The Western Gas Construction Ccrnpany, a corporation of Indiana I Application January 81,

10 @lairns.

This invention relates to fluid measuring apparatus, and while the invention has general application to this broader class of invention, the preferred embodiment disclosed herein is particular- 1y suitable as an indicating and integrating device for crude gas meters.

In my copending application Serial No. 200,254, filed June 20, 1927, for a method of and apparatus for measuring gases, the claimed disclosure comprises in general the measurement of raw gas, the sampling of the gas being measured, and the correcting of the measurement of the raw gas in proportion to the measurements obtained by the sampling operation.

In the copending application of Maurice B. Zoll, Serial No. 425,180, filed Feb. 1, 1930, for a method and apparatus for measuring gases, the claimed disclosure includes a method of and apparatus for integrating the results of the various readings obtained according to my copending application.

The present invention also involves the broader method and apparatus of my copending application, and may be considered as an improvement upon the copending Zoll application in that it provides an improved apparatus for substantially the same purpose.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to economize and improve the construction and operation of devices of this character, to render them simple and convenient in use, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes set forth.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent as the following description proceeds,

p reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which The single figure is a somewhat diagrammatic view, partly in section and partly in perspective, showing the indicating and integrating device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention as connected to a dilute gas conduit and including the sampling device.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the

dilute fluid to be measured is passed through a 445 conduit 1, and in the preferred embodiment shown, the fluid is crude or raw gas, such as water gas, coke-oven gas or producer gas, which is supplied i'rom a tar batter or wash-box 2. A fluid measuring device 3 is installed in the conduit 1, 0 and a sampling device 4 is associated with the conduit 1 for taking off a sample of the gas being measured. The sampling device 4 is' located in a branch 5, preferably a by-pass associated with the conduit 1.

The fluid-measuring device 3 for measuring 5 5 raw gas comprises a flow meter preterably or the 1931. Serial Na. 512,656

(C11. 235-=6ID orifice type, and an orifice 6 is accordingly in.- stalled in the conduit 1. A pipe 7 connects the high-pressure side of the orifice 6 with the interior of a float 8, while a pipe 9 connects the low- 6 pressure side of the orifice 6 with the interior of my a bell 9a mounted in a receptacle 10 containing a liquid 11 which has a buoyant efiect upon the float 8 when gas is contained therein.

The sampling device 4 includes means for removing condensible vapors from the gas being 5 measured and which in the form shown comprises a condenser 12. This condenser may be of the form shown in my copending application hereinbefore referred to, but it is not limited to the specific form shown therein, as it may employ water or other condensing fluid, whether of jet or surface type, or may be an entirely different structure for removing water vapor or other diluent material.

The condenser 12 is preferably designed to reduce the gas to standard conditions for the production of corrected gas. Such conditions are a temperature of 60 F. at a pressure of thirty inches of mercury.

A pump or blower 13 is associated with the branch or sampling conduit for the purpose of maintaining uniform fiow through the same. In case the sampling device is. located in a by-pass such as 5, the blower 13 will discharge into the conduit 1 beyond the orifice 6.

The sampling conduit which includes the condenser 12 is provided with means for measuring the sample before and after the operation of the condenser 12 thereon. In the form shown, an orifice 15 is mounted in the conduit ahead of the condenser .12, and a pipe 20 connects the low-pressure side of the orifice 15 with the interior of a bell 18 mounted in a receptacle 19.

The high-pressure side of the orifice 15 is connected by a pipe 16 with the interior of a float 21 mounted within the bell 18 and responsive to the buoyant effect of liquid contained in the receptacle 19. Beyond the condenser 12, the sampler conduit is provided with an orifice 24, the high-pressure side of which is connected by a pipe 25 with the interior of a float 26, while the low-pressure side is connected by apipe 27 with the interior of a bell 28.

The orifices 6, 15, and 24, and associated bells 9a, 18 and 28, and floats 8, 21 and 26, respectively, constitute flow meters of the orifice type. The floats and bells are so designed that the fioats do not rise or fall in direct proportion to the difference in pressure, but rather are so shaped that no their rise and fall is proportional to the logarithm i oi the results of th the spectively gears 32 There is a particular no inst described, in that the liquid "l e i l be lubricatf oil so that i rubrics oi" the gearing is provided and c e same til i this oil will form the buoyant iiquid for the tion of the floats 2i and 26.

Means are provided for indicatin the ins-w taneous corrected flow oi the crude or raw l passing through the conduit 1, which comp essentially a chart 4i and an indicator 42. indicator may be a stylus provided with inlr. whereby the same may trace a permanent record on the chart 4].. The chart ii is mounted on a cylinder 43 provided with a gear 44 meshing with a pinion 45 connected by bevel gearing with a shaft 4'? carrying a pinion 48 which meshes with the ra 2 40. With this arrangement, the chart il is turned in proportion to the differen tial effect of the floats 2i and 26.

The stylus 42 is carried by a rod 5i) pivoted to a lever 51, fulcrumed as at 52 inside the receptacle l and connected by a link 53 with the float d. With this arrangement, the vertical movement of the stylus 42 is proportional to the flow through the orifice 6. The chart 41 being calibrated by diagonal lines 55, the position of the stylus 42 at any instant will give a direct reading of the flow through the orifice 6, corrected bythe sampling device 4, and thus give a corrected reading of the true flow of gas in the conduit 1.

Means are provided for registering the total or integrated quantity of corrected gas that has passed through the conduit 1 since an initial or starting time. A constant-speed drive device which is illustrated as a motor 56, drives a bevel pinion which meshes with both of two equally and oppositely disposed bevel gears 58 and 59. The inner face of the gear 58 carries a friction disc 60, while the inner face of the gear 59 carries a friction disc 61. Interposed between and contacting with both friction discs 60 and 61 is a friction-driven roller 62, which is pivoted on the upper end of the rack 40. With this arrangement, the speed of the roller 62 is proportional to the vertical position of the rack 40.-

The roller 62 actuates a bell crank 63 through a pltman 64. The crank 63 is connected by a link 65 with a vertical rack 66 which, through a gear 67 and a ratchet 68, actuates a cumulative counter 69. Thus the number of reciprocations of the rack 66 is proportional to the differential effect of the floats 21 and 26.

Means are provided for limiting the travel of the rack 66 in proportion to the flow through the n orifice 6. Accordingly, the rod so is prowith a rack i1 which meshes witl'i a gear ied by a shaft 73. The shaft '33 also has lieyec' thereto a cam 74, the surface of which is spiral. and calibrated in proportion to the flow throu the main orifice 6.

Thus, when the flow through the main orifice ii is low, the travel of the rack 66 will be correspondingly low and will require a greater number or reciprocations to actuate the counter 69 through the ratchet 68. The speed of reciprocaoi' the rack 66 being proportional to the differential. effect of the orifices 15 and 24, and the travel of the reciprocations being proportional to effect of the main orifice 6, the total indicated by the counter 69 is a corrected reading of the total quantity of true or corrected gas which has passed through the conduit 1 during given run of the apparatus.

While an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in such detail as to enable anyone skilled in the art to practice the invention, nevertheless it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to any of the details disclosed, other than as necessitated by the development of the prior art; but instead it will be appreciated that the invention embraces such embodiments of the broad idea as fall within the scope of the appended claims, it being obvious that various changes may be resorted to 05 with respect to the disclosed embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In fluid-measuring apparatus, means for measuring dilute fluid passing through a conduit, means for sampling said dilute fluid including means for removing diluent and means for measuring the sample before and after removal, differential gearing associated with said sample measuring means, indicating means associated with said dilute fluid-measuring means, and means connecting said differential gearing and said indicating means for automatically correcting the reading thereof in proportion to the differentlal effect of said sample measuring means.

2. In fluid-measuring apparatus, a main flow meter, a by-pass, means in said by-pass for removing diluent from fluid passing therethrough, flow meters in said by-pass on each side of said means, differential gearing associated with said by-pass flow meters, indicating means associated with said main flow meter, and means connecting said differential gearing and said indicating means whereby the reading of the latter is automatically corrected in proportion to the differential effect of said by-pass flow meters.

3. In a fluid-measuring apparatus, a fluid sampling device including means for removing diluent from fluid passing therethrough, means for measuring the sample before and after removal, a constant-speed device and a changespeed mechanism driven thereby, and means re sponsive to the differential effect of said samplemeasuring means for actuating said changespeed mechanism.

4. In a fluid-measuring apparatus, means for measuring dilute fluid passing through a conduit, means for sampling said dilute fluid including means for removing diluent from fluid passing therethrough, means for measuring the sample before and after removal, a constant-speed device and a change-speed mechanism driven thereby, means responsive to the differential effect of said sample measuring means for actu- 150 ating said change-speed mechanism, an oscil-= lating member driven by said change-speed mechanism, means for varying the extent of the oscillation thereof in proportion to the ineasure= ment of the dilute fluid, and a cumulative counter for indicating the total of said oscillations,

5. In fluid-measuring apparatus, means for measuring dilute fluid passing through a conduit, means for sampling said dilute fluid including means for removing diluent and means for measuring the sample before and after removal, mechanism controlled by said dilute fluid-meas uring means and by the difierential effect of said sample measuring means for indicating the in-= stantaneous corrected measurement or" the fluid, and interconnected mechanism for cumulatively registering the corrected total quantity thereof.

6. In fluid-measuring apparatus, a main flow meter including an orifice in a conduit containing the gas to be measured, a icy-pass containing a condenser, flow meters including orifices in said icy-pass above and below said condenser, each of said flow meters comprising a bell, a float within said bell, a liquid having a buoyant eriect upon said float, a pipe connecting the upstream side of the orifice with the interior of the float, and a pipe connecting the downstream side with the interior of the bell, the floats of said by-pass flow meters having a common liquid, and differential gearing connecting said floats and immersed in "said liquid.

7. In fluid-measuring apparatus, a main flow meter, a cam actuated by said main flow meter, a pair of sampling flow meters, differential gearing actuated by said sampling flow meters, a constant-speed drive device including a disc, a roller in contact with said disc and movable radially thereof by said gearing, mechanism driven by said roller including a reciprocating element,

a ratchet, and a counter, and means carried by said reciprocating element and engaging said cam for limiting the travel of said reciprocating element.

8. In fluid-measuring apparatus, a main flow meter, a pointer actuated by said main flow meter, a pair of sampling flow meters, differential gearing actuated by said sampling flow meters, a chart cylinder actuated by said difierential gearing, and a chart carried by said cylinder and co-operating with said pointer.

9. In a raw gas-"neasuring apparatus, means for measuring raw gas passing through a main, means for sampling said raw gas including means for removing diluent and means for measuring the sample before and after removal, differential gearing associated with said sample measuring means, indicating means associated with said raw gas measuring means, and means connecting said differential gearing and said indicating means for automatically correcting the reading thereof in proportion to the differential effect or said sample measuring means.

10. in a raw gas-measuring apparatus, a main flow meter, a by-pass, means in said Icy-pass for removing diluent, fiow meters having orifices in said Icy-pass above and below said means, each of said by-pass flow meters comprising a hell, a float within said bell, a liquid having a buoyant effect upon said float, a pipe connecting the upstream side of the orifice with the interior of the float and a pipe connecting the downstream side with the interior of the bell, differential gearing connecting said floats, and interconnected means associated with said differential gearing and said main fiow meter iects thereof, and indicating means responsive to said interconnected means.

THOMAS W. STQNL.

for combining the en lllti 

